Bad start for new Brazil coach Luiz Felipe Scolari as he offends bankers in first press conference

By Josh Pedley 2012-11-29 20:50:00 20121129

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Life back as the Brazil national team coach did not get off to the best of starts for Luiz Felipe Scolari on Thursday when he caused embarrassment with joke saying "if you do not want pressure, you should work for Banco do Brasil".

Scolari, 64, was using the joke to highlight the fact that playing or managing Brazil comes with intense pressure, but by doing so he caused offence to the bank who later put out a statement.

"It has pressure. They have to know," the former Portugal and Chelsea coach told reporters.

"Our players know that this would be one of the most important titles that Brazil has already won. They have to work well with this aspect.

"If you do not want to pressure, you should work at Banco do Brasil, sit in the office and do nothing."

The statement did not go down well at Banco do Brasil, who released a statement saying the bank "regrets the unfortunate comments of coach Luiz Felipe Scolari" and that they "pride themselves for having 116,000 employees every day wear the shirt of the Bank."

They also choose to take a dig at the CBF, who are sponsored by rival bank Itaú, in the statement by stating that they "hope that the great achievements of the Brazilian volleyball team, sponsored by Banco do Brasil for over 20 years, inspire the work of the Team."

And they weren't the only ones unimpressed. The head of the 'Confederação Nacional dos Trabalhadores do Ramo Financeiro (Contraf-CUT)' (Confederation for workers in Financial sector), Carlos Cordeiro, also released a statement in which he blasted Scolari for disrespecting the bank's employees and for showing an ignorance for the reality of working in the financial sector.

And The Bank Workers Union of São Paulo have also requested a retraction from the coach.